Months after strongly opposing the Aam Aadmi Party's choice of Rajya Sabha candidates, senior party leader Ashutosh announced his resignation from the party through a tweet
on Wednesday morning. He cited ‘very, very personal reason’ for his decision but AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal refused to accept the resignation while his party colleagues pressed him to reconsider the move.

“Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the party, requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party, all of them who supported me throughout. Thanks,” Ashutosh tweeted. Flooded with calls from the media, Ashutosh, who had served as one of the party’s main spokespersons, further wrote, “To media friends. Please respect my privacy. I won’t be giving any bite of any kind. Please cooperate.”

The main flashpoint was the party’s choice of Rajya Sabha candidates who were finalised around the beginning of the year. Ashutosh along with a few senior party leaders had opposed the candidature of businessman Sushil Gupta and chartered accountant ND Gupta. After the party had approached seven eminent personalities, who turned down the offer, Kejriwal had decided to field Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta, both of whom were neither people of eminence nor did they have any long association with the party.

Though it was rumoured that Ashutosh was upset with the party because he too was in the race for the Upper House and was sidelined, the former journalist had clarified at party forums that he did not see merit in the two candidates, who were eventually elected to the Rajya Sabha. As a member of the Political Affairs Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, Ashutosh was the most vocal leader when it came to his opinions on issues related to the party and would often openly debate with Kejriwal when there were differences. However he remained guarded and never spoke of the differences in public.

Though the resignation might have come as a shocker for party volunteers, the senior leadership had been anticipating this as Ashutosh had expressed his desire to quit about two months ago at a party meeting. Kejriwal had turned turned it down then also. Ashutosh then sought a sabbatical and excused himself from party work to go abroad as he worked on an upcoming book project on the five years of Narendra Modi government. Sources close to him said that he has no plans to join another political party and will be instead working on his own research and books. Since earlier this year, Ashutosh was conspicuous in his absence at press conferences, which were usually addressed by him ever since he joined the party in 2014. His skills as a television journalist saw Ashutosh take up prominent roles at party rallies and press conferences. He was also overseeing the poll preparations in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh till earlier this year.

Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai, who was the first to react to Ashutosh’s announcement, said he would meet the latter to discuss the issue. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh too wrote that he was saddened by Ashutosh’s decision and that the party would try to dissuade him. Kejriwal sent out two tweets that read, “How can we ever accept your resignation? No, not in this lifetime” and followed by “Sir, we all love you very much.”

Ashutosh is not the first party functionary to have distanced himself from AAP since the Rajya Sabha elections. Poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas too parted ways while Dialogue and Development Commission vice chairman and senior party leader Ashish Khetan, who continues to be with the party, has said that he would focus on his legal career. Vishwas and Khetan were also probable candidates for Rajya Sabha from the party.

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